Odds & INS.

- Talk of the town 1: Everyone's talking about Mike...

January 05, 1993|By Mike Conklin.

- Talk of the town 1: Everyone's talking about Mike Ditka's future. Sportscasters Tim Weigel of WLS-TV and Brian Davis of WBBM-AM learned firsthand just how quickly things escalate when they bumped into each other in, ahem, a Skokie liquor store. While standing in line, Weigel and Davis started exchanging insights on Ditka's future. Pretty soon, other customers were chiming in with observations. One person said he'd just heard from a truck driver, who heard on the radio that Iron Mike was about to resign. By the time they quashed that rumor and worked their way to the cash register, the cashier, who'd been paying little attention to the exchanges, looked up, recognized his customers, and said: "Hey! I hear Mike Ditka just resigned."

- Talk of the town 2: The one person who could shed definitive light on the Bears' situation, Mike McCaskey, was available to fans Monday night. But unless they were regular listeners to Milt Rosenberg's erudite Extension 720 show on WGN-AM, they probably didn't know McCaskey was a one-time host while Rosenberg recuperates from surgery. Furthermore, the subject was the Peace Corps and Mike's stint with the organization. Other Peace Corps veterans, including some who served in Ethiopia with him, were special phone-in guests. Calls were taken from listeners, but there was no way the Bears' CEO planned to get specific about Mike Ditka's future on the show (unless someone figured out a way to work Iron Mike, Ethiopia, and the Peace Corps into a question). McCaskey's WGN appearance had been planned for several weeks.

- Press the issue: The ears of Bulls' officials should burn this week. Fred Kerber, a New York Post sportswriter and president of the Pro Basketball Writers Association of America, plans to talk to NBA Commissioner David Stern about growing complaints from the media about Chicago's working conditions. In addition to gripes about keeping post-game locker-room doors shut longer than the 10-minute limit, Kerber said out-of-town writers are increasingly upset about getting the brush at practices in the new Sheri Berto Center in Deerfield. Unlike the nearby Multiplex, where the Bulls used to practice, this facility makes it possible for players and staff to bypass the press. And when they don't go out the back door, local media have noticed lately they've been getting an awful lot of "no comments" from players.

- On the mend: Next week's Cubs' convention is going to be helpful-hopefully-for Ferguson Jenkins, who committed to attending before last month's tragedy in which he lost his daughter and girlfriend. Jenkins notified the club he'll still be on hand, saying it might be good therapy. That's also the attitude of reliever Heathcliff Slocumb, who'll be at the convention. It didn't get much notice here, but Slocumb's 27-year-old wife, Deborah, died of cancer in November. The pitcher and his two children live in New York. Slocumb told Cubs convention coordinator Ellen Jensen, "I need to see my friends."

- Timing is everything: Southern Cal needed a coach. John Robinson needed a job. It's a nice fit and USC had to set a speed record-roughly 24 hours-in filling its vacancy last weekend (and never mind there was no effort to give minorities an opportunity). Here's a reason the Trojans probably took so little time in making the appointment: USC athletic director Mike McGee wanted to get it wrapped up as soon as possible because he takes over as AD at South Carolina this week.

- More timing: Tom Beck's resignation as Illinois offensive coordinator came in the heart of a recruiting period. On the other hand, it occurred just in time for this week's American Football Coaches Association convention in Atlanta, where Beck, who came to Illinois from Notre Dame, can find another job and Lou Tepper can find a replacement. . . . When Bill Curry unexpectedly resigned at Alabama three years ago, Gene Stallings, who had just been fired as the Phoenix Cardinals' coach, was in the process of applying at Navy.

- Polling place: The nationally recognized computerized football rankings of all NCAA schools, compiled by Jeff Sagarin, showed three 1AA schools ranked ahead of five Big 10 teams in the final wrapup. . . . Whereas most rating services placed Notre Dame behind Alabama, Florida State, and Miami in the final poll, the New York Times' computer put the Fighting Irish at No. 2 behind the Crimson Tide.

- On the run: The announcement Monday that James "Skinny" Sheahan has been appointed by Mayor Richard Daley as Chicago's executive director of special events should be good news for runners. Sheahan, a runner himself, has been extremely active with the Chicago Marathon and similar events in the city.

- Around town: Magic Johnson, at the last minute, canceled a Tuesday session at Kroch's on Wabash to sign copies of his "My Life" book. A Kroch's spokesperson, who indicated Johnson's appearance was hastily arranged from the start, said the session may be rescheduled. . . . Priorities: The Chicago Power just signed midfielder David Richardson to a contract that gives him time off in February to be married. . . . The 11th annual Revie Sorey Celebrity Racquetball Tournament is Jan. 15-17 in Lombard's Glass Court. . . . TBS play-by-play man Bob Neal, in town to work the Bulls-Lakers game Tuesday with Doug Collins, stops by Marshall High School earlier in the day to present new basketball uniforms to both the boys and girls teams. Neal dipped into his own pocket for the purchase. He's from the Class of '60 at Marshall, where he played baseball and football.